Newbie needs HELP

[woodchuck71]

Ok,
I am on step three of a wine kit, it tells me to check speific gravity today and again tomorrow. I am making wine so do I need to stir before I do this or do I make sure things are good befor I stir and add other packets????

Thanks
Dave

[Nine Milly]

DON'T STIR! This will give you an inaccurate specific gravity reading because some settlement will inevitable end up in your sample. Thus, making your sample denser than your settled brew.

The specific gravity tells you the density of the water. The more dense (more sugar) that there is in the water. As the yeast converts the sugars to alcohol the water will become less dense.

To take an accurate S.G. reading you need to measure your S.G. and note the temperature (fish tank strip thermometer works well) after you initially transfer to primary fermentation.

When your wine is done fermenting (S.G. remains the same for 3-4 days in a row) you take a final S.G. reading and once again note the temperature.

The greater the drop in your S.G. from start to finish equates directly to the potential alcohol percentage of your brew.

The calculation can be found online but an example would be a Starting S.G. measurement of 7.8 and a final S.G. reading of 7.2 would be 7.8 minus 7.2 giving you .6 which you then multiply by I think 1.0 or 1.20 (someone on here will have it off the top of their head) giving you an approximate alcohol percentage of (6.0% - 6.2% ish :))

Hope this helps you a bit.